20 Meter Isotron Antenna

[N7SGM]

Has anyone had any luck with the Isotron 20 meter antenna? I have heard these antennas are hard to tune. I am using a Kenwood TS-450SAT barefoot. Thanks!
73 de Bob

[WB2WIK]

Has anyone had any luck with the Isotron 20 meter antenna?

::I had luck with one. Brought it into the casino with me, sat down, and won six consecutive hands of blackjack.

Oh, did you mean "using it as an antenna?"

[W5DXP]

Most hams use Isotron antennas for top loading a length of radiating coax.

[KA4DPO]

The Isotron is about the poorest antenna there ever was. I don't recommend it.

[KB0USA]

Haven't used one on 20 but have a 40 meter version in my attic under a steel roof and I've had many good QSOs with good reports to east and west coasts from my Kansas QTH. Steve KB0USA

[N4KZ]

I've never owned an Isotron or used one but had a nice, long 40-meter SSB ragchew the other day with a fellow using one in his attic. It seemed to work fine. He said his dad, also a ham and living in an assisted living community, had received permission to have one installed just outside his apartment. It got his dad back on the air and talking to his old buddies and made dad very happy.

They're not an efficient antenna but can be effective in the right situation.

73, N4KZ

[K8JD]

I have posted this info before,
A friend gave me an Isotron for 40M, several years ago. I got around to testing it and found that , mounted on a 20 ft mast in the back yard, it received signals about 2 S units lower than a halfwave dipole mounted about 10 ft higher. Same results reported from stations I contacted when switching between antennas..
The antenna is not hard to tune.
I would expect slightly better results with the 20, M version, worse on 80M

[N8ZYA]

Most of my ham radio (QRP) career, I've used these antennas and have always have had GREAT results with them. Especially the 20 and 40 meter versions. Rather than a long diatribe about the results, see my web blog:

http://n8zyaradioblog.blogspot.com/

I've always lived in apartment buildings or restricted antenna areas. I also use them portable when traveling. The results speak for themselves....

I've found them to be "excellent" antennas. I use them mounted "indoors". Most of my contacts have been with the minimum solar flux in the mid '60s and '70's.

I think most of the "criticism" comes from comparing the Isotron radiation pattern with a dipole antenna. These antennas are "omni-directional" and radiate like "verticals" with a very low angle. I often "skip" over closer stations and get 599 reports at the 1,000 mile range on 40 meters. (5 watts)

I hold my "1,000 mile per watt award" with a contact to Eastern Bulgaria near Istanbul Turkey. A little over 5100 miles with 5 watts. (solar flux in the upper 60's).

In a restricted antenna area, they're very effective.

[W5DXP]

I've found them to be "excellent" antennas.

I suspect that "excellent" mode, CW, should get most of the credit. The great majority of SSB users running Isotrons seem to be disappointed in the performance. Has anyone ever heard of a 1000 mile per watt award to anyone running SSB to a 40m Isotron?

[KG4ULT]

Im curious,

Do i really need to mount this antenna on a metal mast in the ground? Or can i put on tripod and run a counterpoise?

I live on the first floor of an apartment and of course no permanent structures. I wanted to purchase a radio shack tripod with a small 5ft mast. This is where i would mount the antenna at my porch (there is another porch above it; its my neighbors). All wooden structure in a wooden building. Im considering the 20,40mtr version.

Im thinking indoor wire loop with tuner but for now i want something small and mobile.